Alright, let’s talk about something nobody wants to deal with—frozen pipes. I mean, the only snap, crackle, and pop you want to hear should be from a cozy fireplace or your morning cereal, not your water pipes losing it. Because once those things burst, it’s like a waterworks explosion in your Kansas City home or business, causing a serious mess.
So, why the heck do pipes decide to break? Well, water is a weird character. As it cools, it contracts until it hits around 40°F. As it drops below that temperature, it starts to expand again until it freezes, when it swells up by about 9%. That causes enough pressure to split boulders, so your plumbing doesn’t stand a chance!
Now, here’s the lowdown on which pipes are most likely to throw a winter tantrum:
- The ones exposed to hardcore cold, like outdoor hose spigots, pool supply lines, and sprinkler lines.
- Water pipes in chilly spots inside, like basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets—especially the ones without insulation.
- Pipes running along outside walls with little or no insulation.
But fear not, there’s hope! Before the freeze sets in, check out these moves to keep pipes in your Kansas City home or business from going ice age on you:
- Drain the pool and sprinkler lines.
- Shut off the inside valves for outdoor spigots, then crack them open to let any leftover water pour out. Keep outside valves open so any water left inside can expand without causing damage.
- Get cozy by installing high R-value insulation in attics, basements, and crawl spaces.
- Cover your pipes with “pipe sleeves” or wrap ’em up in UL-listed “heat tape” or “heat cable.”
- Keep that garage door shut if there’s a water line inside.
- Open up kitchen and bathroom cabinets to expose your plumbing to warm air.
- When it hits a chilly 28°F outside, drip both cold and hot water faucets. Doing this keeps water moving and eases the pressure if they decide to freeze.
- Set the thermostat at the same temp day and night. A slightly higher electric bill is way better than fixing busted pipes and dealing with a water damage nightmare.
- If you’re jetting off for a while, don’t leave your home shivering. Set the heat to no lower than 55°F—better safe than sorry.
And here’s a little Sage Advice: frozen pipes have a thing for bursting in the dead of night, just when you’re enjoying your beauty sleep. So, you might wake up to a watery surprise hours later, adding insult to water damage injury. So it’s a good idea to invest in some water leak detectors. Stay warm, stay smart, and let’s avoid those midnight pipe parties, shall we?
If the worst-case scenario happens to your Kansas City home or business, then pick up the phone and call the water damage restoration professionals at Sage Restoration. Using state-of-the-art equipment for drying, dehumidifying, deodorizing, and disinfecting, we restore homes and businesses with minimal disruption so that you can get your life back to normal.
